No one can hurt you like someone who’s been close to you. That’s for sure.

A sparkly Christmas card came today from someone who–I swear it–intentionally takes every possible opportunity to hurt me. I swear it. I know it sounds terrible, but it’s true.

My husband sees the bad behavior but thinks she’s just clueless about it. That she thinks she’s being nice. That she doesn’t know any better.

I don’t agree.

Forgiveness has been a struggle. I can’t get there with her and it troubles me that I can’t. I want to. I just haven’t been able to do it.

In my life, she’s toxic. So I’ve culled her. With reluctance, because of our genetic tie.

There are siblings and there are sisters. The two are very different. I have girlfriends who are sisters to me.

But she is my sibling.

I didn’t make a big deal of the culling. Didn’t have “the conversation” about it. I just stopped communication.

Recently, I received information that she would be interested in. I struggled with whether I would call or not. But it seemed the right thing to do.

She was just plain rude, there’s no question about it. She wanted the information but she didn’t want to be polite. I ended the call immediately without giving her the information.

Today, a Christmas card arrived. It was lovely. Signed with love. I looked at it, ran my fingers over the sparkles. Looked at the signature.

I was puzzled. I don’t get how someone can be downright mean one minute, and

I was…conf